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How to keep cats off motorcycle seats

Paws with claws create a whole bunch of headaches for motorcyclists.

Earl Lee Earl Lee on Jul 22, 2021
How to keep cats off motorcycle seats

Cats and couches do not mix. For the record, cat owners would know that our feline friends have a tendency to claw at soft surfaces, especially of the leather or cloth variety. 

Whether a stray or a pet, cats have claws, and unless you want to return home to see your motorcycle’s seat ripped to bits, here are some deterrents that’ll keep your motorcycle from becoming a scratching post. 

Use a motorcycle cover

Perhaps the simplest and most effective way to protect your motorcycle from an ‘a-paw-ling’ fate, is to keep it covered. Bad puns aside, it’ll be ideal if you use a cover to discourage a cat from sitting on the bike and getting a bit too comfortable. Felines aren’t particularly aware of the joys of motorcycling, so they treat it like any other couch or warm spot, and just sit. The saying goes for our furry friends: “If they fits, they sits.” 

So the solution there is to make it impossible for the cat to get to the softer bits of your bike. Use a motorcycle cover with a cinch or garter. This deters cats from getting a good hold on the bike’s more scalable parts. Of course, you don’t want to make it even more enticing by buying a cloth cover, instead, you want a heavy-duty weather-proof cover. You get the added benefit of keeping cats away, and your bike protected from the sun and rain. It’s a win-win. 

The trick is to get a motorcycle cover also that fits your bike. There are custom-cut covers available, but those can get quite expensive. Just match whatever type of bike you have to the cover you’re going to buy. There are cuts for adventure bikes, naked bikes, sport bikes, cruisers, and even scooters. It’s all just a matter of picking the right one with the right material, and you should be good to go. 

Train your cat

Cat Scratching on a post

If you have a pet that shares the same love for two-wheelers, then you may want to train them to stay away from the bike. Perhaps starting your monster of a motorcycle in front of your cat will instill enough fear from them to turn away at the sight of it. Or, you could purchase an alarm system for your motorcycle if it doesn’t already have one. Those two options will anger your neighbors, however. 

You could purchase an ultrasonic alarm device or something that is specific to animals. Cats have especially acute hearing and can pick up sound waves that normal humans cannot, so this is an unobtrusive solution you could cobble together. 

Give alternatives

Cat Paw

There are so many scratching posts and comfy beds for sale, that buying one for your furry friend should be no problem. You can find a myriad of options that are more enticing than the seat of your motorcycle. Get something furry, or try out a few options until you find the right one that your pet loves to gravitate towards. 

Also, provide a scratching post or scratching pad. Cats naturally claw objects in their home environment because it helps them destress, express emotions, mark their territory, and keeps their nails in check. Just like humans that need a mani-pedi every so often, a cat has similar needs. Unless you like scratch marks and holes on your bike, then make sure to get something that will help your feline friend have a killer manicure. 

Sprinkle a little bit of deterrent

Cat’s are very particular about where they sit. To deter them from making a comfy sofa out of your bike’s seat, try sprinkling a few of these items on top: 

  • Water 
  • Citrus
  • Lavender
  • Citronella 
  • Rosemary 
  • Vinegar solution 
  • Pepper 
  • Ammonia 

You might want to be careful with this solution. All of the solutions are in order of desperation. Ammonia is probably the worst and most virile solution, but it’s pretty effective in keeping cats away. Though, it might keep you away too because it is a chemical that can be found in excrement. Chili peppers could damage your motorcycle’s seat, but the materials are pretty hardy anyway. Remember to only add a small amount of these substances on your motorcycle or around it to deter cats from staying near it. Except for water, of course. 

It all boils down to how desperate are you to keep strays away, or even your own pet. Spray around your motorcycle, but try and avoid spraying on it. 

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